Jones career day lifts Rhode Island to 21-10 Colonial win

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) — Naim Jones rushed for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown and Rhode Island forced five turnovers to defeat William & Mary 21-10 in the rain on Saturday.

William & Mary had the wildest turnover in the game. Rhode Island’s Branyan Javier-Castillo stepped in front of a Ted Hefter pass on third-and-9, but was stripped of the ball by the Tribe’s Nate Evans, who sprinted 71 yards to score the first touchdown of the game.

Rhode Island (5-3, 3-2 Colonial Athletic Association) answered with a fumble recovery in the end zone and Jones’ plunge from the 1 to lead 14-7 by the end of the quarter. The Rams forced five fumbles, recovered three and also picked off Hefter twice.

Wet conditions held both teams under 100 yards passing, but the Rams sealed the win when Vito Priore fired a long pass through the rain for a 67-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

Evans led William & Mary (3-5, 2-3) with 97 of the Tribe’s 112 yards rushing.